Exploring the behavior of parallel connected SiC power MOSFETs influenced by performance spread in circuit simulations

Müting, Johanna; Schneider, Nick; Ziemann, Thomas; Stark, Roger; Großner, Ulrike

doi:10.1109/apec.2018.8341023

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…2(b), shows an exponential decrease with current. Due to nonhomogeneity of the devices, originating from process and manufacturing variability of commercial products, there is a slight variation in the specific values [22]- [24]. The difference in E AV and the duration of avalanche, t AV , between inductors in the second region is within the range of this experimental spread.…”

Section: Avalanche Current Capability Testsmentioning

confidence: 60%

Analysis of Current Capability of SiC Power MOSFETs Under Avalanche Conditions

Nida

Kakarla

Ziemann

et al. 2021

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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The phenomenon of reduced energy capability of power metal-oxide-semiconductor fieldeffect transistors (MOSFETs) at high avalanche currents is investigated in commercial 1.2-kV 4H-SiC MOSFETs. Unclamped inductive switching (UIS) measurements as well as electrical transport simulations are used to identify the current paths and maximum avalanche currents, providing insight into the design limits. The investigated devices show a reduced energy capability for avalanche current above 52 A due to the latching of the parasitic bipolar junction transistor (BJT). The BJT also limits the maximum switchable current to ≤102 A. Based on the measurements and simulations, a procedure utilizing UIS measurements for identification of design limits is presented.

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Section: Avalanche Current Capability Testsmentioning

confidence: 60%

Analysis of Current Capability of SiC Power MOSFETs Under Avalanche Conditions

Nida

Kakarla

Ziemann

et al. 2021

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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“…They do, however, give a qualitative idea of the behavior which can be expected from SiC MOSFETs exposed to power cycles. Significant variation of the characteristics between devices of a single type has been observed [25], as shown for type A in Fig. 3.…”

Section: Tested Devicesmentioning

confidence: 79%

Power Cycling of Commercial SiC MOSFETs

Ziemann

Großner

Neuenschwander

2018

2018 IEEE 6th Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA)

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The robustness under power cycling of three comparable silicon carbide MOSFETs in TO-247 packages from three different manufacturers is investigated, with silicon IGBTs serving as reference. The power cycling method, especially the junction temperature measurement and best practices to ensure its accuracy, is described. The results give insight into reliability and variability as well as aging behavior and failure modes. We find a large variability between samples, both in initial characteristics and measured cycling lifetime, as well as signs of semiconductor device degradation. There is a significant spread in the extent of the variability, in the average and minimum observed lifetime, as well as in the failure mode. Some samples fail quickly due to bond wire defects, some due to semiconductor degradation, while others show very long lifetimes.

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“…7 at 16 µs. When paralleling MOSFETs in a module, it is therefore necessary to choose the devices with minimum performance spread [15][16] [17] not only in the operating current regime, but also in higher current regime to ensure better SC ruggedness of the module.…”

Section: A Sc Behaviour Of Sic Mosfetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short Circuit Ruggedness of New Generation 1.2 kV SiC MOSFETs

Kakarla¹,

Ziemann²,

Stark³

et al. 2018

2018 IEEE 6th Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA)

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New generations of silicon carbide (SiC) based MOSFETs are commercially available from manufacturers featuring smaller chip size with higher power density demonstrating performance improvement compared to their previous generation counterparts. As the size of the chip is small, the volume available to dissipate energy during short-circuit (SC) like conditions is reduced, leading to increased self-heating of the device. Therefore, the short circuit withstand time (SCWT) is reduced. As a reliability aspect, ruggedness to extreme operating conditions like SC needs to be analyzed for these devices, to improve the design or to design better detection and protection circuits for these MOSFETs when used in specific SC vulnerable applications. In this work, the new third generation 1.2 kV SiC MOSFET from Wolfspeed in a TO-247-4 pin package having a smaller chip size is measured for SC ruggedness. The causes for device failure under different DC-link voltages, gate bias voltages, SC pulse durations and self-heating behavior are analyzed based on the destructive SC tests performed. The device is measured to have an SCWT of 2 µs at a DC-link voltage of 800 V compared to SCWT of 4.5 µs for the second generation 1.2 kV devices with larger chip size and TO-247-3 pin package. The presence of the Kelvin source contact demonstrates higher peak SC currents compared to the same devices without Kelvin source.

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Exploring the behavior of parallel connected SiC power MOSFETs influenced by performance spread in circuit simulations

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

Analysis of Current Capability of SiC Power MOSFETs Under Avalanche Conditions

Analysis of Current Capability of SiC Power MOSFETs Under Avalanche Conditions

Power Cycling of Commercial SiC MOSFETs

Short Circuit Ruggedness of New Generation 1.2 kV SiC MOSFETs

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